The co-facilitators of the intergovernmental consultations on the organizational modalities for the Post-2015 Summit have released a paper, ‘Draft elements: Organizational modalities for the Post-2015 Summit at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA)' for discussion by Member States.
The paper addresses: the Summit context; dates for the Summit and the 70th Session of the UNGA; the discussion format; and participation.
Consultations on modalities for the post-2015 summit will resume with a third informal meeting on 3 June 2014.
29 May 2014: The co-facilitators of the intergovernmental consultations on the organizational modalities for the Post-2015 Summit have released a paper, titled ‘Draft elements: Organizational modalities for the Post-2015 Summit at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA),’ for discussion by Member States. The paper addresses: the Summit context; dates for the Summit and the 70th Session of the UNGA; the discussion format; and participation. Consultations on modalities for the post-2015 summit will resume with a third informal meeting on 3 June 2014.
The co-facilitators for the post-2015 summit consultations are Robert Guba Aisi, Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea, and Ib Petersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark.
According to the draft elements, the UN Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda would take place on 21-23 September 2015, followed by the general debate of the 70th Session of the UNGA from 24 September. The 2015 Summit would comprise two plenary meetings per day for a total of six plenary sessions, as well as concurrent interactive dialogues.
The paper encourages participation from Heads of State or Government as well as UN agencies, funds, programmes and regional commissions, the Bretton Woods Institutions, regional development banks, civil society and the private sector. Noting the need to engage multiple actors within the development landscape, including through innovative use of technology, in both the preparation and implementation of the post-2015 agenda, the paper suggests exploring opportunities for engaging these actors during the Summit.
According to the paper, “Ongoing processes are expected to complete their work in a comprehensive balanced and expeditious manner by September 2014,” with Member States expecting inputs from the Open Working Group (OWG) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF), and the process to develop options for a technology facilitation mechanism. The paper calls for coherence with these processes as well as the third Financing for Development (FfD) Conference, and deliberations of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the first session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).
On civil society participation, States would request the President of the UNGA to organize a hearing no later than June 2015 with civil society and the private sector to provide input, to be issued as a UNGA document prior to the Summit. The UN Secretary-General is requested to use a trust fund to enhance civil society participation.
The paper also invites the UN regional commissions to hold regional dialogues to provide inputs to the Summit preparation and the Summit itself. It also invites inputs from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Finally, by the draft elements, Member States would request the President of UNGA 69 to continue intergovernmental consultations on all issues related to the Summit and its preparatory process. [Draft elements] [IISD RS Story on Second Informal Meeting]